One kingdom. Three daughters. A test of love. Utter madness.

“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.”

Coming this winter, Stagecraft Theatre is thrilled to bring you Shakespeare’s famous tragedy of family rivalry, deception and destruction. 

In a familiar New Zealand rural setting two powerful families are thrown into turmoil by the folly of the fathers and the duplicity of their children. After testing his daughters’ love, Lear is betrayed, and is slowly driven mad with his anger and grief. Gloucester is first deceived by one son, who is attempting to harm the other, and then the father is punished as a traitor, when Gloucester attempts to aid the broken Lear. The insatiable ambition of their children throws the world into chaos, and no one is left untouched.

The tragedy of misplaced trust amongst ambitious and heartless families is an old story, retold here in a timeless setting, where the wild elements of the rugged natural world echo the harshness of the disloyalty and rejection suffered by these families. 

“This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.”

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PLEASE NOTE:  Due to disruptions, latecomers will not be admitted to theatre.  Please ensure you have exchanged your ticket for an entry voucher at least 15 minutes prior to show start time.  Thank you.